1. Flail chest: Monitor pulse oximetry and blood gases, intubate and ventilate if there is hypoxia or respiratory distress. Consider early intubation in elderly or severe multitrauma patients. 2. Open, sucking/blowing wound in the chest wall: Do not suture or pack before thoracostomy tube insertion. Danger of tension pneumothorax! A Square gauze taped on only 3 sides can be applied while preparing for chest tube insertion. 3. Tension pneumothorax: Initial decompression with needle insertion through the
Platelets should be transfused at a rate of 10 milliliters per minute for approximately 30 minutes, explains the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan Health System.
A. Platelets are the tiny blood cells that help stop bleeding by binding together to form a clump or plug at sites of injury inside blood vessels. A normal platelet count is between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets per microliter (one-millionth of a liter, abbreviated mcL).The average platelet count is 237,000 per mcL in men and 266,000 per mcL in women. platelet count below 150,000 per mcL is called thrombocytopenia, while a platelet count over 450,000 is called thrombocytosis. Platelets seem to have a large backup capacity: blood typically still clots normally as long as the platelet count is above 50,000 per mcL (assuming no other problems are present).